Acknowledging that the election results in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab did not match its expectations, Congress on Tuesday said the poll outcome was a "lesson" for the party, but will not affect the UPA government at the Centre in anyway.

In a bid to tackle the illegal and anti-national activities along India’s international border with its most estranged neighbour, Pakistan, the authorities have agreed to engage sniffer dogs to assist security personnel and the custom officers in Punjab.

The Ludhiana (Central) seat has become a question of prestige for both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress contenders as state Health Minister Satpal Gosain (BJP) and Surinder Dabar of Congress are facing each other for the third time.

At a time when the Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is trying to woo Dalits in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is working hard to win the support of Dalit community in Punjab. Trying to dent the vote bank of the Congress in Punjab, the BSP has been making concerted efforts to keep its poll calculations correct.

Settling political scores over arch rivals Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajawadi Party, BJP president Nitin Gadkari said that the people of Uttar Pradesh must give the party an opportunity to change the face of the state.

The Punjab government on Saturday announced to hike the salary of state home guards by Rs 1500 ahead of the implementation of model code of conduct in the state following the announcement of poll schedule for assembly elections.